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Crybaby

Crybaby

“Cole, why on earth do you stay with him? He’s such a crybaby.”

I clenched my fists and walked away before I hurt the guy who was now a former friend. It wasn’t the first time someone had asked me, but that didn’t make it any easier to hear, especially considering I’d once thought of Pete as one of my better pals. The question he asked had been tossed out by more than a few people, which led to the end of several friendships, because no way would I let someone belittle him. The ‘him’ in question was my husband of three years, Daniel ‘Danny’ Hayes.

Our initial meeting was such a fucking turnoff. It was at a mutual friend’s wedding where I was the best man to the guy who’d been part of my life since we met in middle school. I was there when he met Celia Vander Vale. The sparks between the two was instantaneous, and I knew one day we’d be in this position. Miles told me there was no one in his life he’d prefer to have with him as his best man, and I was only too happy to say I’d stand there as he took his first steps into his new life.

The Letter: A Links in the Chain short

The Letter: A Links in the Chain short

The Letter

A Links in the Chain short

The town of Crivitz, Wisconsin was small by most standards. The population was only 1,079 but they were mostly friendly types. When Aiden and I went to grab a pizza at the Hot Stone Pub, we were greeted warmly. No one made mention if Aiden was using his walker or the wheelchair, and they treated him as one of their own, despite the fact we only came up a few times a year.

We’d been together three years now, and life had been great. Mostly. Aiden and I didn’t have problems different than any other couple. Finding time together was always a challenge, especially since his stained glass business had taken off. Everyone in our family—my folks, Tom and Galen, Lincoln and Noel, Aiden’s sister, Livvy, Marco and Andy—had all bought things from him. Then Marco showed them to his parents, who loved the work so much they ordered things they could sell in their floral shop. Then the customers who bought from them showed others and…. Yeah, my guy now had a fulltime job, and he was over the moon happy because now he felt like he was contributing to the household.

The Kids Are All Right – A Family Matters short

The Kids Are All Right – A Family Matters short

“Why aren’t you getting ready?” I asked Joey. It was already four, and the prom would be starting soon.

He shook his head. “I was told I couldn’t come. Kay and Micah are pissed… I’m sorry, they’re peeved.”

This was news to me. “Explain,” I insisted.

Joey sat up and his eyes were puffy. He sniffled until I handed him a tissue and he blew his nose. “My student counselor said if I was coming, I had to wear what she calls ‘appropriate attire’, otherwise I wasn’t allowed in.”

“Were you planning on going in your birthday suit?”